Surprising Ways You Are Aging Your Skin

Caring for your skin is important at all stages of your life, but as you grow into adulthood it can feel like you're always searching for any way to keep your skin as youthful and wrinkle-free as possible. Despite many industries seeing a decline in sales in recent years, the beauty industry seems to be booming, thanks in part to the never-ending search for the fountain of youth (or at least a product that can help visibly reduce signs of aging). Data from Euromonitor International proves that we are obsessed with looking younger, revealing "the anti-aging market grew from $3.9 billion in 2016 to $4.9 billion in 2021 in the United States alone" (via VOX).

Whether you're a fan of injectables, serums, creams, or other anti-aging methods to keep your skin plumped and wrinkle-free, there's always a limit to just how effective these products are. And, while Americans are spending billions of dollars each year on these products and procedures to look younger, their diets, lifestyle, and even shopping habits can be aging their skin without them even realizing it. Most of us know that wearing sunscreen regularly and drinking lots of water is important for healthy skin, but those aren't the only habits that can help you maintain that youthful glow. Here are some surprising ways you are aging your skin that you may not have considered.

We've all heard that the hands and neck can give away your true age, and that's mostly because people tend to ignore those areas when it comes to skincare. We tend to concentrate solely on our face when applying anti-aging creams and lotions as well as preventative products like sunscreen, but a big mistake many people make is ignoring their hands and neck. According to Vogue, the neck and chest can be where you first notice sagging and pigmentation, which are signs of environmental damage. "People forget to even apply sunblock on these areas, even though they are exposed a lot," Dr. Kiran Lohia, dermatologist and founder of Lumiere Dermatology, told the outlet. The backs of the hands are susceptible to environmental factors and can show age spots, wrinkles, and pigmentation over time, so proper care is necessary to avoid premature aging.

Celebrity facialist Su-Man Hsu explained to beautytap why caring for the neck is so important, and why it can age you if you don't. "The neck produces only one-third of sebaceous oil and sweat glands compared to the face," she said. "It also stores very little collagen, so it very easily can become rough, dry, and sagging, leading to fine lines and wrinkles."

This is something most of us are guilty of at one time or another. We all know that we should be washing our face before going to bed, but we also know that sometimes we just can't be bothered. Whether we're too tired or we don't think there's any makeup to wash off, the reality is that not removing your makeup and properly cleansing your skin before you go to sleep can age your skin without you even realizing it. "Dirt and makeup trapped against your skin cause environmentally-induced oxidative damage," celebrity dermatologist Dr. Annie Chiu explained to Good Housekeeping. "This leads to a breakdown of the skin barrier and prematurely ages your face."

To prove this point, in an experiment conducted for the Daily Mail, one woman went a full month without washing her makeup off before bed. At the end of her experiment, professionals deemed her skin had aged almost 10 years from what she looked like when she started. Dermatologist Dr. Stefanie Williams commented on the experiment saying, "sleeping in makeup, has an occlusive effect. This means any irritants are locked in, exacerbating any allergic reactions, and moisturizers are locked out." So, no matter how tired you are, cleansing your face before bed won't just make you feel better, it can help keep your skin looking youthful looking and vibrant, too.

We know that getting a full eight hours of sleep every night isn't always realistic, but if you need another reason to prioritize your sleep and hit the hay early tonight, research proves that not getting enough sleep can age your skin and cause you to look older. According to Walk-In Dermatology, not getting enough sleep can not only make you cranky but actually accelerates the aging process. "During deep sleep, growth hormones help damaged skin cells repair. When you don't get enough sleep, the daily breakdown in your skin doesn't get a chance to repair overnight." That means that if you consistently don't get enough sleep, your skin won't be able to repair itself. Eventually, this will result in your skin looking older.

They also note that lack of sleep also contributes to stress in the body, which affects your skin's collagen production. This directly affects your skin's firmness and your skin's smoothness. They suggest trying to develop a bedtime routine that works for your lifestyle but also allows you to get adequate sleep every night. There will always be the occasional situation where your sleep may be disrupted, or your routine may have to change, but trying to maintain adequate sleep regularly can really help keep your skin looking youthful.

Drinking plenty of water is important for maintaining healthy-looking skin, but your diet also plays a huge role in the health of your skin and maintaining that youthful glow. Eating too many processed meats like deli meats, sausage, and bacon can negatively impact your skin without you even realizing it. Ariel Ostad, MD, a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, told Health that processed meats can accelerate your skin's aging. "Many of these meats have sulfites and other preservatives, which can trigger inflammation in the skin, and accelerate the appearance of aging," she stated.

Many of these processed meats are high in salt, which can also make you look puffy and bloated. Although you don't have to eliminate processed meats completely from your diet, swapping them for leaner meats like chicken or turkey is a great option that will help keep your skin looking healthy. Adding more fruits and vegetables is also a great alternative to those processed meats in your diet and will also help your skin look clear and glowing.

We've already seen how repetitive facial movements, such as sipping on a straw, can age your skin, but those aren't the only movements that can impact the fine lines and wrinkles on your face. Whether it's pursing your lips, raising your eyebrows, squinting, or scrunching your nose, repetitive facial movements can cause the collagen in your skin to break down in those areas, according to Skinovative of Gilbert. They compare it to folding a piece of paper. The more times you fold it, the more pronounced the creases will be. 

While you may not be able to stop all those repetitive facial movements completely, you may be able to limit how often you do some of them. If you find yourself squinting constantly to see better, it may be time to visit the optometrist. A new prescription for glasses or maybe even a new pair of sunglasses may be just what you need to stop that constant squinting, reducing those fine lines that are beginning to form around your eyes. Quitting smoking can help minimize how often you purse your lips (not to mention the numerous health advantages to quitting,) and as we mentioned above, limiting how often you use a straw can be helpful as well.

As a society, we spend a lot of time looking at screens. In fact, adults spend, on average, just over seven hours per day in front of a screen, according to Exploding Topics. This time spent on phones and other devices could be aging your skin. The high-energy blue light that's emitted from those screens can accelerate your skin's aging by causing sleep deprivation. The light interferes with melatonin production and disrupts the body's circadian rhythm.

Dr. Sweta Rai, a spokeswoman for the British Association of Dermatologists, told The New York Post that although this light isn't directly aging your skin, it can also cause pigmentation that can give the appearance of older-looking skin. "If you look at a pristine face and put brown spots on it, it will look aged from sun damage," Dr. Rai said. If you were ever looking for an excuse to put your phone down, this may be just the motivation you need.